Die



Aug. 15, 1939. .A HAB R 5, 2,169,798

DIE

Filed Dec. 5, 1936 l/ v /6 /Z 2? Z 45 v E E -4 INVENTOR I a i f ziaififrZ552? ATT NEYS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES DIE.

Alfred H. Haberstump and Andrew J. Jarosik,

Detroit, Mich., assignors to The Murray Corporation of America, Detroit,Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application December 5,

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to die structures. More particularly itrelates to a novel and improved form of die structureprimarily adaptedfor the purpose of forming fabric material to a predeterminedconformation with respect to a padded backing sheet in order to make upa novel and improved form of inner trim panel construction forautomotive vehicle bodies.

In the manufacture of inner trim panels for automotive vehicle bodies itis desired in many instances to produce a novel and attractivedecorative surface on said panels in order to materially enhance theappearance thereof. Trim panels of this general character while they maybe manufactured by many and various methods generally comprise a backingsheet formed of cardboard or other suitable stiff material to which isadhesively secured a relatively thick non-woven layer of fibrous paddingmaterial such, for example, as jute fiber. The padded backing sheet isplaced in a press and has the surface thereof cut to provide a pluralityof grooves or channels in the surface thereof which channels aregenerally arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows andform therebetween beads or tufts which materially enhance the decorativeappearance of the panel as a whole. Trim panels of this generalcharacter are generally covered by a layer of Woven fabric finishmaterial which is stretched over the padded surface of the backing sheetand has its marginal edges adhesively secured to the reverse side of thebacking sheet in order to provide a neat and attractive article. It isessential that some easy and convenient means be provided for urgingthis fabric finish material into the grooves formed in the paddingmaterial by the cutting knives, and form this padding material topredetermined conformation. The improved die structure of the presentinvention,

while susceptible for use in many and various other fields is primarilydirected to this specific application and is primarily utilized for thepurpose of not only forming the fabric finish material to theconformation of the preformed backing sheet but is also utilized for thepurpose of applying a certain highly desirable final tension to thefabric finish material as will hereinafter become clear.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a diestructure of the character described above in which a plurality of blademembers are mounted which blade members serve to engage fabric finishmaterial and urge said fabric finish material downwardly into groovesformed in the padded backing sheet upon which the die operates.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a diestructure of the general character in which certain of the blades of thedie structure normally project a substantial dis-' 1936, Serial No.114,350

tance beyond certain of the other blades thereof in order that as theram of the press descends, a. progressive tensioning of the fabricfinish material being operated upon will be obtained.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a diestructure having a plurality of blades mounted therein which blades areadapted to engage the work to be operated upon.

The present invention further contemplates the provision of resilientmeans adapted to engage the rear side of certain of said blades in orderto resiliently urge these blades to a position extending substantiallybeyond the position occupied by the remainder of the blades wherebycertain of the blades will engage the Work to be operated upon prior tothe engagement of the other blades and after their work has beencompleted, the resilient means urging these blades forward will becompressed and they will be restored to a position in which theiroperating edges are substantially in the same plane as the stationaryblades of the die.

Many other and further objects, advantages, and features of the presentinvention will become more clearly apparent from the followingspecification when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a die structure embodying the improvements ofthe present invention and primarily adapted for use in the formation oftrim panels for automotive vehicles;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken subsantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1illustrating the cross-sectional configuration of the die structure andthe manner in which the work engaging blades are mounted therein;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a die pressillustrating the improved die structure mounted therein and the mannerin which this die engages the work being operated upon;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 3 illustrating indetail the operation of the die when the ram of the press has completelydescended to the bottom of its stroke.

While it will be readily appreciated from the following description ofthe relatively specific dis closure of the invention as shown in thedrawing that the broad inventive concepts presented in this application.are susceptible of substantial modification, and will find broad andpractical utility in many and various different fields the specificembodiment of the invention shown in the drawing illustrates a diestructure primarily adapted for operating upon inner trim panels.

In the specific form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, a dieis shown which is primarily adapted for tensioning fabric finishmaterial over the surface of a preformed em- .surface 8 secured thereto.

bossed backing sheet. While the particular die structure shown may beformed various different ways, the specific form shown includes arectangular framework 5 made of metal or other suitable material. Thisframework is retained in assembled relation by means of a sheet metalplate 6 which is of a configuration substantially the same as theframework and is secured thereto. The framework serves to mount a diemember l which is preferably of composite construction including a woodbody portion and a sheet metal This die member 1 is adapted to seat uponthe backing plate 6 and when so seated it will be seen that the surfaceof the metallic face plate 8 lies substantially even with the surface ofthe frame member 5.

The frame member 5 has the opposite lateral side thereof rabbeted toprovide a projecting flange 9 which is adapted to be engaged by ashouldered retaining strip [U which serves to retain the die structureas a whole in position upon a ram l2 of a press with which it isassociated. The strips l may conveniently be secured into position bymeans of screws or bolts H passing upwardly therethrough and locking thestrips to the ram of the press.

The actual forming portions of the die comprise a plurality ofstationary blades l l formed of strips of sheet metal which blades arepreferably seated in slots in the die member l, and in the form of theinvention shown, these blades are disposed in substantially parallelspaced relation. In the specific construction shown, a movably mountedblade is located intermediate the blades I 4 and in substantiallyparallel relation with respect thereto. At suitable intervals alongblade recesses are provided in the body of the die member which recessesserve to house compression coil springs l6 which are confined betweenthe base of the blade l5 and the backing plate 6 consequently urging theblade l5 into an outward position whereby it will normally extend fromthe die body a substantially greater distance than the stationary bladesI4. The blade 15 may be provided adjacent its base portion with suitabletransversely extending members l8 which serve to limit the outwardmovement of the blade l5 within a predetermined range. The movable bladeI5 is preferably so constructed and arranged that when the spring [6 iscompressed a maximum amount, the outer edge of the blade I5 will lie insubstantially the same plane as the outer edges of the blades [4 whichare mounted on either side thereof.

The die member is adapted to cooperate with a press having a flat orplane surface bed upon which the work to be operated upon is placed inpredetermined position. In the particular construction shown in thedrawing, the die member is adapted for tensioning fabric finish materialover the surface of a padded backing sheet and conforming the fabricfinish material to the configuration of the fabric backing sheet withwhich it is associated to provide an ornamentally surfaced inner trimpanel for use in automotive vehicles. This trim panel includes arelatively stiff cardboard backing sheet to the upper surface of whichhas been secured a relatively thick layer of loosely felted non-wovenfibrous padding material 26. This padding material has been cut orembossed along predetermined lines to provide channels or recesses 21therein which channels or recesses lie in a configuration sub.-

stantially the same as the configuration of the blades l4 and I5 of thedie structure of the present invention. A section of woven fabric finishmaterial 28 is stretched across the surface of the padded backing sheetand has its marginal edges secured to the reverse side thereof.Preferably prior to the mounting of the fabric finish material upon thepadded backing sheet, liquid adhesive material, such, for example, aslatex, is sprayed into the bases of the channels 21 in order that whenthe structure as a whole is operated upon by the improved die member thefabric finish material will be secured in the bases of these channels.

The trim panel is then placed in position upon the bed 20 of the pressand as the ram of the press descends, the projecting blade IE will firsturge the fabric finish material into the central of the three channelsthus tensioning the fabric finish material throughout the surface of thetrim panel and the parts will then appear in substantially the positionshown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. As the ram of the press descends to thebottom of its stroke, the blade I5 will serve to compress the spring i6and blades I4 will engage the fabric finish material and urge the sameinto the bases of the channels 2'! thus securing a neat and uniformtensioning of the fabric finish material throughout the entire surfaceof the trim panel.

This construction has been found to be particularly satisfactoryinasmuch as the progressive action of the blades serves to eliminatewrinkles and at the same time insures a substantially uniform tensioningof the fabric finish material throughout the entire surface of thesheet.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described, many other and further modifications thereof fallingwithin the scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claimswill become clearly apparent to those skilled in the art- What isclaimed is:

l. A die member for forming inner trim panels including a supportmember, three like blades disposed in substantially parallel relation.extending from said support member, the central of said three bladesbeing movably mounted with respect to said support member and adapted toproject therefrom a distance greater than the remaining blades, theremaining blades being rigidly mounted with respect to said supportmember, and resilient means for urging said central blade intoprojecting position but permitting it to be retracted relative tosaidother blades to have like pressure applied by said blades in a commonplane.

2. A die member comprising a pair of relatively widely spacedsubstantially parallel metallic forming blades, a movably mounted likeblade disposed between said first mentioned blades in parallel relationwith respect thereto but spaced therefrom, resilient means for urgingsaid central movably mounted blade to a position projecting beyond saidfirst mentioned blades, and means for limiting the degree of movement ofsaid movably mounted blade to regulate the degree of projection belowsaid other blades, said blade being retractible as the other blades areadvanced to have like pressure applied by all of said blades in a commonplane.

ALFRED H. HABERSTUMP. ANDREW J. JAROSIK.

